"My god, it's full of numbers" - What have I done?

[Argonaut]

You should stick with your first allegiance/connection and support the Padres! You can't be accused of being a glory-hunter because they've never won the World Series. And they have slick new throwback brown uniforms. All in all very unique. It's my favourite team in the NL. They have a good young team with lots of prospects.

You'll often hear fans of teams with a woe-is-me attitude despite their franchise having X number of titles. Nah, no such hypocrisy with the Padres (or my favourite, the Rangers)! Just the future to look forward to, and the hope of a championship someday.

[Clovidequano Dovatha]

According to Baseball-Reference, we could possibly see the Cubs, Dodgers, and Cardinals join the Giants in the official 11,000-win club for MLB history. The Cubs may also perhaps become the first team to score 100,000 runs in their history as a franchise, if they score enough runs this season.

The Yankees are the only team more than 2500 games over .500, more than 1000 games better than the Giants, although that figure may not include their time as the Baltimore Orioles, I think, in the Yankees' case. The Giants are nearly 1500 games above .500, in comparison.

Pennants and titles-wise, the Yankees have 40 pennants and 27 titles. The Dodgers have 24 pennants and 6 titles, while the Giants have 23 pennants and 8 titles, and the Cardinals have 23 pennants and 11 titles, at present. While the Cardinals don't have more pennants than the Dodgers, we still have the most titles among all the teams in the National League, at least for now.

Just some baseball-related facts that I thought many here might find rather interesting, potentially. CD out.

[Westheim]

I would advertise the Mets to you, but first I need a written note from your therapist that you are used to suffering and stupid things.

[Henric]

Originally Posted by Argonaut

You should stick with your first allegiance/connection and support the Padres! You can't be accused of being a glory-hunter because they've never won the World Series. And they have slick new throwback brown uniforms. All in all very unique. It's my favourite team in the NL. They have a good young team with lots of prospects.

You'll often hear fans of teams with a woe-is-me attitude despite their franchise having X number of titles. Nah, no such hypocrisy with the Padres (or my favourite, the Rangers)! Just the future to look forward to, and the hope of a championship someday.

Yeah, glory hunting fan I am not. It's that Cardinals red though... But yeah, I am drawn to the Padres, but in all honesty, the brown is a bit off-putting.

[Henric]

Originally Posted by Westheim

I would advertise the Mets to you, but first I need a written note from your therapist that you are used to suffering and stupid things.

Well, I'm afraid he might side with you just for the extra business it might bring him.


Watched the Mets-Cardinals just now btw.

[Henric]

Originally Posted by Clovidequano Dovatha

According to Baseball-Reference, we could possibly see the Cubs, Dodgers, and Cardinals join the Giants in the official 11,000-win club for MLB history. The Cubs may also perhaps become the first team to score 10,000 runs in their history as a franchise, if they score enough runs this season.

The Yankees are the only team more than 2500 games over .500, more than 1000 games better than the Giants, although that figure may not include their time as the Baltimore Orioles, I think, in the Yankees' case. The Giants are nearly 1500 games above .500, in comparison.

Pennants and titles-wise, the Yankees have 40 pennants and 27 titles. The Dodgers have 24 pennants and 6 titles, while the Giants have 23 pennants and 8 titles, and the Cardinals have 23 pennants and 11 titles, at present. While the Cardinals don't have more pennants than the Dodgers, we still have the most titles among all the teams in the National League, at least for now.

Just some baseball-related facts that I thought many here might find rather interesting, potentially. CD out.

Yes, interesting indeed. Thanks!

[Clovidequano Dovatha]

I'll grant that the Mets have been a good team at times, and they were even in our division for a good while before this three-division nonsense began. But I was born in Missouri, with a grandmother living in the St. Louis area of Missouri, so that probably is a major reason or those facts are probably major reasons why I follow both Cardinals teams and the Blues as I do. As for the 76'ers, I liked Dr. J, so that's perhaps why I follow them as well.

If you were to redesign the Mets-related team sets of logos, caps, and/or uniforms, how would you do it, if you could? Just wondering, Westheim. CD out.

[Clovidequano Dovatha]

As far as the Phillies, they are the only franchise with 11,000 losses, and are the franchise furthest under .500 in terms of their overall win-loss record. They are nearly 1200 games under .500, but the Padres have the worst winning percentage, barely, of all 30 franchises, in a much shorter period of time. Other younger teams are below .500 as well. The Braves, for their part, will break the 10,700-loss threshold this season, unless they win enough this year, which probably won't happen for them.

More interesting things to consider, I'm sure. CD out.

[Ktulu]

Originally Posted by Henric

Well, Moneyball comes to mind? And the comedy one, Major League? I seem to remember an older movie with Kevin Costner as well.

If you can find it, definitely check out the Ken Burns Baseball documentary series. It can be a little over the top on the Americana (for non-Americans), but is otherwise excellent.

Looks like it’s available on YouTube. Should work for background entertainment while playing OOTP.

[Calvert98]

This thread is cool. Another thing I like about OOTP...the community. On a podcast the other day Rich G was interviewing Markus and they both spoke about it.

And I agree that the Cardinals have an outstanding legacy; In my mind, the best in the NL, only perhaps challenged by the Dodgers as Clovidequano pointed out, with a good nod to SF. Anyway, you cannot go wrong with Cardinals as your team to follow.

But if you want to pick an AL team that you can grow with, pick the Orioles; the Orioles are in total rebuild, so you will be able to follow a lot of great prospects as they develop, such as last year's #1 Draft pick Adley Rutschman. And being in the AL East, you will also see some of the best teams currently in the MLB.

-Cal

[Pine Tar]

All this talk about the National League. Old fuddies stuck in the past. They think having a pitcher hit make for a more meaningful and complicated game. Having a DH makes the game a lot more exciting, A lot of pitchers hardly ever take a meaningful swing at a baseball. There are a few good hitting pitchers but most are a waste of an at bat.

The American league is where the real men are, The AL has won more All Star games overall and especially in the last 20 - 30 years.

Oh BTW you guys can have the Astros back, we miss Oakland.

Pine-Tar

[Calvert98]

Baseball Movies, at least when it comes to OOTP, Moneyball might be the most spot-on to your gaming experience. It's all about building and managing a team and finding value.

-Cal

[Calvert98]

Originally Posted by Pine Tar

All this talk about the National League. Old fuddies stuck in the past. They think having a pitcher hit make for a more meaningful and complicated game. Having a DH makes the game a lot more exciting, A lot of pitchers hardly ever take a meaningful swing at a baseball. There are a few good hitting pitchers but most are a waste of an at bat.


Pine-Tar

Sort of funny. So, I play-out all of my games with an AL team, and when my team is scheduled to play an away game against a NL team, it's always an adjustment.

And then last year, one of my pitchers give-up a walk-off HR to a NL pitcher. I actually sat there with what was probably a shocked look. I think that was the first time that has happened to my team in OOTP.

[Clovidequano Dovatha]

Who better to keep pitchers in line than other pitchers, I think? In essence, if you hit one of my guys, without good enough reason, on purpose, then the guilty pitcher should be prepared to face the consequences of doing so from someone on my team, especially if they did so carelessly and all.

I think it used to help keep teams in check to a degree, prior to the DH being instituted, but could be wrong, of course. Sure, there were probably still big brawls that may have happened from time to time between various teams, but they were probably better policed and prevented from being especially major ones in many cases, if I'm not too mistaken here.

Listen, I'm not saying that I'm totally right here, for sure, but I could be right to at least some degree about this sort of thing, you know, folks. I don't know about many of you, but I'd rather see a well-pitched and cleanly-played game, with pitchers' duels aplenty than tons of runs and hits and errors on the board, if and whenever possible, in truth.

A good while ago, you used to see a lot of better-hitting pitchers in the game, if memory serves me correctly here. But nowadays, there are probably many more pitchers who can't hit well compared to many pitchers from earlier eras, because they've not been taught how to hit and all better, for whatever possible reasons or reasons, I think. Including not getting enough playing time, et cetera, as baseball players and all. Whether on the mound or in the field or in the batting cages, et cetera.

Just some thoughts here that you can agree with or not as you like, of course, folks. Take them as you will or not, and act accordingly, as you like and can, then. CD out.

[Henric]

Originally Posted by Calvert98

This thread is cool. Another thing I like about OOTP...the community. On a podcast the other day Rich G was interviewing Markus and they both spoke about it.

And I agree that the Cardinals have an outstanding legacy; In my mind, the best in the NL, only perhaps challenged by the Dodgers as Clovidequano pointed out, with a good nod to SF. Anyway, you cannot go wrong with Cardinals as your team to follow.

But if you want to pick an AL team that you can grow with, pick the Orioles; the Orioles are in total rebuild, so you will be able to follow a lot of great prospects as they develop, such as last year's #1 Draft pick Adley Rutschman. And being in the AL East, you will also see some of the best teams currently in the MLB.

-Cal

Yeah, I really like the podcast! And the community has been amazingly welcoming to a newbie, both to the game and the sport. I REALLY have fallen in love with baseball. I am an avid hockey fan (used to many moons ago) and follow my local team religiously. I'm born and raised here, and the local team have struggled in the lower leagues, died, been resurrected in another form and finally reached the highest league a few years back. I very rarely if ever cry, but boy did my eyes tear up as the horn sounded in that final promotion game.


Hockey in Sweden is INTENSE. Both on and off the ice. The supporter groups sings all game, usually have a drum to keep the rhythm, and the whole arena (at least ours) claps along and sometimes even joins in the singing. It's amazing and it's electric!


Baseball is different. It's more of a slow burn, with lulls, but boy oh boy do I get excited when I hear that 'clonk' of a good hit! The tension of following a base runner or hoping the ball will reach the base man (is that even the correct term?!) before the runner. I love it! All the juicy stat stuff is just icing on an already delicious cake!


I've lived for 43 years, and that is also how long it took me to really discover baseball. I have obviously always known ABOUT it. Just not that I was actually really, really into it.

[Henric]

Originally Posted by Calvert98

Baseball Movies, at least when it comes to OOTP, Moneyball might be the most spot-on to your gaming experience. It's all about building and managing a team and finding value.

-Cal

I just watched it again on Netflix. It is REALLY good. Amazing movie overall I think.

[Clovidequano Dovatha]

I was so thrilled when the Blues FINALLY won the Stanley Cup. I am certainly hoping they repeat as champions for at least this year, but even this sort of thing is not going to last forever. Sure, winning games and championships are important to a degree, no matter what sport or game you're talking about in this world, but ultimately, their real importance in this world and in real life will fade, in truth.

The rewards of winning those things are only for this life, really, if you really think about it. There are things much more important than sports and gaming in real life, and I"m sure many of us may know quite well what those things are, as well. We only get one life, and we should live it as best as we can, however we can, so that when we leave this world behind, we are found worthy to spend Eternity with the One who made us and all, folks.

We will all leave this world at some point, and experience a life after this one. Whether it's through death or translation, the fact is that in time, even things such as baseball, for instance, will seem rather minor and rather unimportant compared to what lies ahead each of us, whatever it may be for each of us, for eternity.

Let us all endeavor to run our courses in our respective mortal lives so that we are each ultimately found worthy to receive the ultimate prize of eternal life in eternity with the Lord and all the other rewards that will come along with that in it. Then we will know wonders such as we have never yet seen or heard or experienced, for sure, in each of our lives, without any possible doubt at all, folks.

Just some thoughts from an often contemplative man in this world of ours that God created so long ago. Take them as you will, and agree with them or not as you will, of course, folks. In any case, I wish each of you and all those in each of your lives only the very best possible in them all, according to the Lord's will and all, for sure. CD out.

[Henric]

I caved and got 20 as well.


I'm insane... I know the devs get more from ordering directly (i did that with 21, no Steam), but 16-ish Euros for the game on Steam made it worth for me. So now I get a few weeks proper practice before 21.

[BigRed75]

My advice when picking a team - let the team pick you.

Don't listen to anyone on the boards who tries to convince you to go for the team they support (or not, in the case of Westheim )

Keep watching the sport and eventually, you'll know who to follow. You'll find yourself getting a bit more excited when they make a big play, tuning into their games more on MLB.tv, even contemplating buying a jersey or t-shirt

I'm a lifelong Reds fan because I was born in Cincinnati the year they won the World Series (as my user name implies). Didn't really have much choice in the matter but I wouldn't have it any other way. Gravitated toward the Mariners as my AL team because Ken Griffey Jr is from Cincinnati as well and he was the best when I was younger. He ended up coming home to play for the Reds later because they were his team growing up, too.

Hoped to pass my love of the Reds onto my son, but he didn't grow up in Cincinnati. There's a picture of me watching a Reds game when he is literally two days old. Put the game on the TV in the hospital room and pointed his bassinet at it. His first baseball game.

But now he's older, and developing into a player in his own right. He is developing his own understanding of the game more and what he likes. Right now, he wants to be a pitcher and Max Scherzer is his favorite, so he's become a Nationals fan. Winning the World Series last year just cemented that. It's fine, that's his decision.

Maybe you'll end up being a Padres fan, maybe the Phillies, maybe the Detroit Tigers. All fine choices that make sense with the personal history you've shared with us so far. Or maybe it'll be some other team.

When the team is right, you'll know

[Henric]

Originally Posted by BigRed75

My advice when picking a team - let the team pick you.

Don't listen to anyone on the boards who tries to convince you to go for the team they support (or not, in the case of Westheim )

Keep watching the sport and eventually, you'll know who to follow. You'll find yourself getting a bit more excited when they make a big play, tuning into their games more on MLB.tv, even contemplating buying a jersey or t-shirt

I'm a lifelong Reds fan because I was born in Cincinnati the year they won the World Series (as my user name implies). Didn't really have much choice in the matter but I wouldn't have it any other way. Gravitated toward the Mariners as my AL team because Ken Griffey Jr is from Cincinnati as well and he was the best when I was younger. He ended up coming home to play for the Reds later because they were his team growing up, too.

Hoped to pass my love of the Reds onto my son, but he didn't grow up in Cincinnati. There's a picture of me watching a Reds game when he is literally two days old. Put the game on the TV in the hospital room and pointed his bassinet at it. His first baseball game.

But now he's older, and developing into a player in his own right. He is developing his own understanding of the game more and what he likes. Right now, he wants to be a pitcher and Max Scherzer is his favorite, so he's become a Nationals fan. Winning the World Series last year just cemented that. It's fine, that's his decision.

Maybe you'll end up being a Padres fan, maybe the Phillies, maybe the Detroit Tigers. All fine choices that make sense with the personal history you've shared with us so far. Or maybe it'll be some other team.

When the team is right, you'll know

Yeah, some good advice and pretty much how I go about it. I try and have a few games on through MLB.tv every night (my time) and see what sticks. So far I have honestly engaged more with the Padres. Not because they have won so much during spring training, but just for knowing a bit about the city. But we'll see where I end up. I've had a few false starts in OOtP 20 with the Padres, trying to get to know the game and the sport. It's an amazing game, and I'm seriously hooked on baseball.